


Scary sounds

by gilleboll



Series: Lightwood-Bane family [3]
Category: The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Drabble, Family Fluff, Fluff, M/M, Short One Shot, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-13
Updated: 2019-09-13
Packaged: 2020-10-18 00:37:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20630183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gilleboll/pseuds/gilleboll
Summary: Alec was cut off by a thunderclap so loud it made the windows rattle in their frames. The bang made Chairman Meow leap at least three feet straight into the air. ”By the Angel!”Both Alec’s and Magnus’s eyes went to Max’s door. Then they looked at each other. Everything was quiet for a few seconds.”Do you think he…?”-Bedtime, thunder, and The Lord of the Rings





	Scary sounds

Rain smattered against the windows of their living room; steady and accompanied by the occasional low rumble of thunder. Alec laid on the couch with his head rested on Magnus’s lap, listening to him read  _ The Lord of the Rings _ in a hushed voice. It had been a very long day of way too many demons and then a very hyperactive little warlock, who was now, mercifully, put to bed for the night. This moment was a welcome break from everything that kept Alec feeling more or less constantly exhausted.

_ ”— Then Thursday, September the 22nd, actually dawned. The sun got up, the clouds vanished, flags were unfurled and the fun began. Bilbo Baggins called it a party, but it was really a variety of entertainments rolled into one. —” _

Alec laughed quietly to himself, which made Magnus stop reading. He moved the battered paperback out of the way, and his amber eyes met Alec’s. 

”Something funny?” he asked.

”Bilbo sounds a lot like you,” Alec said. His voice trembled with the effort of trying not to laugh.

Magnus’s eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled. ”Alexander Gideon Lightwood, you little piece of sh—”

_ ”Magnus,” _ Alec cut him off and glanced at the closed door that lead to Max’s room, ”language.”

”He’s  _ asleep, _ ” Magnus hissed.

”We don’t know that!” Alec hissed back. ”And I don’t want our kid saying ’shit’ before he even turns two.” 

Magnus laughed and gave Alec a light smack on the forehead with the book. ”Now he’s definitely going to say it.”

”Touché,” Alec said, rubbing the spot where the paperback had hit him. It didn’t actually hurt, though. 

”Will you let me keep reading now?” 

Alec smiled and reached up and placed his hand on the side of Magnus’s neck. He ran his thumb across Magnus’s jaw, feeling the short stubble that had grown in over the past couple of days. 

”Yeah. Keep going.”

Alec let his eyes slide shut as Magnus started reading again, the gentle rise and fall of his voice making Alec relax. With a little  _ mrrp,  _ Chairman Meow leaped up onto Alec’s chest. The cat started purring loudly as Alec blindly ran his fingers through the soft fur in an effort to find the best spot to scratch; behind his ears. It wasn’t long before the Chairman started kneading Alec’s stomach with his paws.

_ ”— As for Bilbo Baggins, even while he was making his speech, he had been fingering the golden ring in his pocket: his magic ring that he had kept secret for so many years. As he — _ Alec?”

”Mm?” Alec hummed, opening his eyes just enough to look at Magnus. Through his lashes, the living room looked dim and a little blurry.

”Don’t fall asleep.”

”I’m not.”

Magnus chuckled softly and ran his free hand through Alec’s hair. ”Yes you are. You can’t keep falling asleep at eight thirty.”

”That was one t—” Alec began, but was cut off by a thunderclap so loud it made the windows rattle in their frames. The bang made Chairman Meow leap at least three feet straight into the air. ”By the Angel!” 

Both Alec’s and Magnus’s eyes went to Max’s door. Then they looked at each other. Everything was quiet for a few seconds. 

”Do you think he…?” 

A meek, muffled cry answered the question before Magnus had finished it. 

”Yeah,” Alec said as he scrambled to get to his feet. In a few quick strides, he was at the door and cracked it open. 

Light spilled in over Max’s crib. Max himself was standing up, balancing himself with a firm hold on the bars of the crib. He looked like he’d seen a ghost.

”Max?”

”Daddy,” Max managed between sobs. 

Alec let the door swing all the way open as he strode into the room. ”Was the thunder scary?” he asked.

Max looked up at his father with huge blue eyes that were shiny with tears, and Alec thought his heart might shatter. 

”Scary…” Max repeated as new tears welled up. 

”It’s alright, Blueberry,” Alec said. ”Come here, my baby. It’s alright.” He bent down over Max’s crib and hoisted the child into his arms. Max wound his tiny little hands into the worn cotton of Alec’s t-shirt. Alec stroked Max’s sleep-mussed curls, gently repeating  _ ”It’s alright” _ until Max stopped sobbing.

”Where Papa?” Max inquired into Alec’s shoulder.

”He’s out in the living room,” Alec said. ”Want to go to him?”

Max nodded. ”Go Papa.”

Alec could do nothing but oblige.

”Can’t sleep?” Magnus asked when Alec and Max came into the living room. 

”Scary,” Max declared.

Magnus gave Max a sympathetic look. ”There’s no need to be scared, my little blueberry. Thunder isn’t dangerous.  _ And,  _ your Daddy is a Shadowhunter.”

”Who’s always going to protect you,” Alec filled in with a smile down at his baby. He felt Max’s little arms close tighter around his neck as he spoke. ”And so will Papa.” 

Magnus smiled at Alec and Max, his golden eyes sparkling. He closed his arms around Alec and pulled him in. Max made a small noise of content as Magnus’s body pressed up gently against his. Magnus pressed a light kiss to the top of his son’s head, and Alec heard him breathe in Max’s scent. 

”How about I read you a bedtime story?” he asked as he straightened back up. Max’s eyes lit up and he nodded. 

”Story!” he cheered. Magnus’s smile widened as he pulled away. Alec had thought the most beautiful thing he’d seen was Magnus in the early morning sunlight, but that was before he’d seen Magnus looking at their child. 

”Well then. Settle in, boys,” he said and gestured to the couch. Alec sank down into the cushions and propped Max on his lap. 

”Want a blanket?” he asked. Max made a noise of affirmation and Alec twisted around to reach for one of the soft, colorful blankets that were draped across the backrest. He wrapped it around the two of them, revelling in the happy sigh Max let out as he leaned back against Alec’s chest. Magnus sat down to their right, his beat-up copy of  _ The Lord of the Rings _ in hand. 

”Blanket?” Alec asked him. Magnus nodded and ducked in under the blanket. Once everyone was settled, he cleared his throat theatrically and opened the book. 

_ ”As for Bilbo Baggins, even while he was making his speech, he had been fingering the golden ring in his pocket: his magic ring that he had kept secret for so many years. As he stepped down he slipped it on his finger, and he was never seen by any hobbit in Hobbiton again.” _

For a few minutes, the only sounds in the apartment were Magnus’s voice and the rain beating against the windows. 

”Daddy join, Daddy join,” Max chanted. 

”You sure, buddy?” Alec asked.

”Yes! Daddy join!”

Alec let out a sigh that was half laughter, half exasperation. ”Alright,” he said. Magnus wordlessly lowered the book so that they could both see the pages. Alec leaned further into Magnus’s shoulder. 

”Where are we?” Alec murmured. 

Magnus pointed to the line. ”There.”

Alec cleared his throat, less for dramatic effect, and more to get the drowsiness out of his voice.

_ ”Oh, they may, in years to come. Frodo has read some already, as far as it has gone. You'll keep an eye on Frodo, won't you?" _ he read. Without missing a beat, Magnus followed up with the next line:

_ "Yes, I will — two eyes, as often as I can spare them." _

They continued like this for some time, taking turns to read the dialogue, cheered on by Max’s occasional coo of delight. Thunder kept rumbling on and off through the night, but Max didn’t seem scared. He was safe, and he was falling asleep resting against his dads’ chests. All was well.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you so much for reading! i hope you liked it!! 
> 
> i swear the next baby fic i write isn’t going to involve sleep or late nights LMAO though i will admit i have a soft spot for that kind of domesticity  
(i’m also going to write something with rafael in the future!!) 
> 
> i always appreciate comments and kudos if you’ve got any to spare!<3


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